The irritating properties of cigarette smoke on the respiratory system of the smoker have long been known. A variety of approaches have been undertaken so as to minimize the risk of respiratory deseases as emphysema and lung cancer commonly associated with habitual smoking. A great many individuals appear to be unable to stop smoking, and a variety of means have been employed to reduce the risks of smoking. Various tar filters have been appended to cigarettes in the form of integral filters, or have been incorporated into cigarette holders for purposes of minimizing the irritating properties of cigarette smoke. Such filters generally have subjective effect of reducing the flavor of the smoke and hence the enjoyment to the smoker.
An alternative approach has been to employ a series of perforations, most typically on an integral filter on the end of a cigarette, whereby air is constantly bled into the smoke during inhalation. Such filters serve to cool the smoke to a degree, but the dilution action also adversely affects the subjective flavor sensation, and as a result such filters are considered by many smokers to be an unsatisfactory solution. For individuals unable or unwilling to stop smoking completely, a useful contribution to the art would be a cigarette filter providing a substantial reduction in such irritation, while preserving the flavor of the cigarette.